Rapidly growing pizza franchise’s commitment to recruiting veterans gets national press
Popular news/talk program Fox & Friends recently featured Marco’s Pizza® for our outstanding commitment to hiring veterans. Marco’s was first up on the segment, which aired on a special Veterans Day segment on the Fox News Channel show and focused on franchises that are ideal choices for veterans seeking a sound business investment.
Area Representative and franchisee, Joe Walker represented the Marco’s brand on the national TV spot, which resulted in a big spike in traffic to our franchise recruiting website, with 1,400 more visitors researching the Marco’s franchise opportunity the day the segment aired. Joe is a vocal veteran franchisee for our brand, having been named top veteran small business owner in his home state by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s local office and the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce in April.
Joe, who joined our pizza brand in 2011 and now has 21 locations on the east coast, mentioned Marco’s exceptional growth and plans to create 3,000 jobs next year in the Fox & Friends segment titled, “Hiring Heroes: Companies Reach Out to Hire Military Vets.” Marco’s commitment to veterans keeps garnering great press as well as industry accolades. We earned a top 3 spot on the prestigious Military Times annual Best for Vets Franchises List and Entrepreneur magazine ranks us among the Top Franchises for Veterans.
Marco’s shows commitment to veterans on Veterans Day and beyond
Although Marco’s is committed to working with veterans throughout the year, this Veterans Day served as another opportunity for us to say thanks to the men and women who have served our country. Marco’s hosted free pizza parties at local VFWS, VA medical centers and American Legions. Throughout the day, Marco’s franchisees presented veterans in their community with gifts, assistance on bills and even plane tickets for family visits. 
Jesse Miller is a nine-year veteran of the army who had fallen behind on his mortgage. Marco’s stepped in to help, presenting him with a check to cover his back payments. Kokomo, Indiana, Marco’s franchisee Janelle Lucas, a veteran herself, presented Jesse with a check to assist him in paying off his mortgage.
“This is something, being a veteran myself, that means a lot to me,” Janelle told the Kokomo Tribune, which covered the local Veterans Day celebrations. “And to support veterans, and especially those that have been wounded … it just feels good to be able to give.”
Veterans recruiting initiative provides path to multi-unit ownership
U.S. Army veteran Scott Quagliata was hired earlier this year to oversee our veterans recruiting initiative as Vice President, Veterans Program and Recruitment. The program will be an entry point into the franchise’s management pipeline, providing a pathway for veterans to rise through the ranks as general managers, go through the apprentice program and ultimately become Marco’s Pizza franchisees.
Marco’s is a proud participant in the International Franchise Association’s VetFran Program, which offers veterans a discount on their initial franchise fee. “At the end of the day, this is all about long-term career opportunities for veterans, and we want to ensure it’s a good fit for both sides,” Scott says.
Build your success on ours
Founded in Toledo, Ohio, in 1978, Marco’s Pizza has become one of the fastest-growing large pizza franchise in the nation. Our homemade recipes and fresh ingredients are in the Italian tradition, and we are the only top 20 pizza franchise in the country that was founded by a native Italian. We are led by veteran pizza executives who have experience growing brands and supporting franchisees as they grow their businesses.
Learn more about Marco’s Pizza
For in-depth details about the Marco’s Pizza franchise opportunity, download our free franchise report. You can also learn more by visiting our research pages.
